# 1971–72 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team

The 1971–72 Illinois State Redbirds men's basketball team represented Illinois State University during the 1971–72 NCAA University Division men's basketball season. The Redbirds, led by second-year head coach Will Robinsion, played their home games at Horton Field House in Normal, Illinois as members of the Conference of Midwestern Universities. They finished the season 16–10, 6–2 in conference play to finish in second place.

## Schedule

| Date time, TV | Opponent$^#$ | Result | Record | High points | High rebounds | High assists | Site (attendance) city, state |
| Regular season |||||||||
| December 1, 1971* | Oral Roberts | L 93–95 | 0–1 | 40 – Collins | 9 – Bacon | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| December 3, 1971* | vs. Western Illinois Chip Cage Classic [Semifinal] | W 70–50 | 1–1 | – | – | – | Ronald W Finch Fieldhouse Mount Pleasant, MI |
| December 4, 1971* | vs. Eastern Illinois Chip Cage Classic [Final] | L 73–77 | 1–2 | – | – | – | Ronald W Finch Fieldhouse Mount Pleasant, MI |
| December 6, 1971* | Southwest Missouri State | W 99–70 | 2–2 | 28 – Collins | 13 – Bacon | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| December 8, 1971* | Southeast Missouri State | W 99–72 | 3–2 | 34 – Collins | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| December 11, 1971* | at Murray State | L 74–85 | 3–3 | 29 – Collins | 10 – deVries | – | Racer Arena Murray, KY |
| December 14, 1971* | at Iowa State | L 85–106 | 3–4 | – | – | – | James H Hilton Coliseum Ames, IA |
| December 15, 1971* | at Northeast Missouri State | W 86–75 | 4–4 | – | – | – | John J Pershing Arena Kirksville, MO |
| December 18, 1971* | at Buffalo | L 74–80 | 4–5 | 28 – Collins | 8 – Collins | – | Clark Hall Buffalo, NY |
| December 29, 1971* | vs. DePauw Dominican Holiday Tournament [Semifinal] | W 118–90 | 5–5 | 42 – Collins | – | – | Theatre/Gymnasium Complex Racine, WI |
| December 30, 1971* | vs. Buffalo State Dominican Holiday Tournament [Final] | W 78–73 | 6–5 | 26 – Smith | – | – | Theatre/Gymnasium Complex Racine, WI |
| January 5, 1971* | MacMurray | W 116–73 | 7–5 | 31 – Collins | 14 – deVries | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| January 8, 1972 | Indiana State | L 66–69 | 7–6 (0–1) | 36 – Collins | 10 – deVries, Weaver | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| January 10, 1972* | at Morehead State | L 94–104 | 7–7 | 36 – Collins | 13 – deVries | – | Wetherby Gymnasium Morehead, KY |
| January 15, 1972 7:30 pm | Ball State | W 99–92 | 8–7 (1–1) | 55 – Collins | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| January 18, 1972* | Winona State | W 107–91 | 9–7 | 45 – Collins | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| January 29, 1972 | at Indiana State | W 91–76 | 10–7 (2–1) | – | – | – | Indiana State College Arena Terre Haute, IN |
| February 1, 1972* | at Pacific | L 94–107 | 10–8 | 42 – Collins | 13 – deVries | – | Pacific Pavilion Stockton, CA |
| February 4, 1972* | at No. 5 California State–Long Beach | L 63–88 | 10–9 | 26 – Collins | 11 – Bacon | – | University Gym Long Beach, CA |
| February 9, 1972 | Northern Illinois | L 85–99 | 10–10 (2–2) | 28 – Collins | 20 – deVries | – | Horton Field House (8,500) Normal, IL |
| February 12, 1972 7:35 pm | at Southern Illinois | W 90–83 | 11–10 (3–2) | 30 – Collins | 15 – deVries | – | SIU Arena Carbondale, IL |
| February 16, 1972 | at Ball State | W 98–71 | 12–10 (4–2) | 39 – Collins | – | – | Irving Gymnasium Muncie, IN |
| February 19, 1972* | Central Michigan | W 75–60 | 13–10 | 26 – Collins | 12 – deVries | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| February 23, 1972 | at Northern Illinois | W 86–85 | 14–10 (5–2) | – | – | – | Chick Evans Field House (4,422) DeKalb, IL |
| February 26, 1972* | at Central Missouri State | W 92–75 | 15–10 | 32 – Collins | 12 – Bacon | – | Garrison Gym Warrensburg, MO |
| February 29, 1972* | Athletes In Action Exhibition | W 94–70 | | – | – | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| March 4, 1972 WRAU | Southern Illinois | W 88–84 | 16–10 (6–2) | 36 – Collins | 22 – deVries | – | Horton Field House Normal, IL |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from AP Poll. (#) Tournament seedings in parentheses. All times are in Central Standard Time. |||||||||
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